beta(3)-hydroxybutyrate in blood/plasma/serum

Indications

• useful for following therapy for diabetic ketoacidosis

Reference interval

• 0.21-2.81 mg/dL (20-270 umol/L) [Ketosite, GDS Diagnostics]
• < 3.02 mg/dL (290 umol/L) [enzymatic method]

Clinical significance

• in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), beta-hydroxybutyrate is the predominant accumulated intermediary metabolite & is a better indicator of clinical state than acetoacetate.
• the beta-hydroxybutyrate/acetoactetate ratio is normally 3:1 & will rise to 6-12:1 during ketoacidosis
• beta-hydroxybutyrate is NOT detected by common tests for ketone bodies (Acetest, Chemstrip, Ketostix)

Increases

• ketoacidosis: diabetic, alcoholic, lactic
• shock, renal failure
• liver disease
• infections
• phenformin
• salicylate poisoning

Specimen

• whole blood, plasma or serum (EDTA, heparin, oxalate, citrate)
• store in refrigerator for up to 12 hours
• freeze serum or plasma (Ketosite)
• do NOT freeze specimen for enzymatic assay

More general terms

• beta-hydroxybutyrate in body fluid

More specific terms

• beta(3)-hydroxybutyrate in blood
• beta(3)-hydroxybutyrate in serum/plasma

Additional terms

• acetoacetate in serum/plasma
• beta-hydroxybutyrate; 3-hydroxybutyrate
• ketone bodies in body fluid